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Christ Lutheran, Sharon

Grace Lutheran, Franklin

Holy Trinity Lutheran, Hermitage

Holy Trinity Lutheran, Greenville

The Fifth Sunday of Easter May 10, 2020

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Service of the Word

Gathering Prelude Selections from Eight Preludes (Thiman)

Hymn Variation on The Call (Fedak)

Thanksgiving for Baptism

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, the fountain of living water,

the rock who gave us birth,

our light and our salvation.

Amen.

Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism,

we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for

the gift of baptism.

Water may be poured into the font as the presiding minister gives thanks.

We give you thanks, O God, O Living One,

for you have created all, and you water the earth abundantly. Oceans and

aquifers praise you. Rivers and streams bless you.

All life is sustained by you, our Source.

We praise you for Christ, the firstborn from the dead, who frees us from sin

and raises us up to new life.

Here at this font we touch the river of the water of life, bright as crystal,

flowing through the city of God. Here, death is washed away forever.

Here, we are grafted into the tree of life,

with leaves for the healing of the world.

Significance of the Day: As we continue to celebrate the fifty days of Easter, today’s

gospel includes Jesus’ promise that he goes to prepare a place for his followers in his

Father’s house. Our baptism commissions us to share Jesus’ mission in the world. As 1 Peter

reminds us, we are a holy people, called to proclaim the one who called us out of darkness

into light. In words and deeds we bear witness to the risen Christ – our way, our truth, our

life.

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Pour out your Holy Spirit on this assembly,

into this community, and throughout all creation. Cleanse us from our fears

and drown our divisions. Grant that all may drink of your mercy and peace,

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and

forever.

Amen.

Opening Hymn Lord God, We Praise You

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Easter Dialogue

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

We are illumined by the brightness of his rising.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Death has no more dominion over us.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.

Give us grace to love one another, to follow in the way of his

commandments, and to share his risen life with all the world, for he lives

and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Word First Reading Acts 7:55-60

A reading from Acts:

55 But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the

glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he

said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right

hand of God!” 57 But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all

rushed together against him. 58 Then they dragged him out of the city and

began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young

man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord

Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud

voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he

died

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

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Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

(The Psalm will be spoken in unison.)

1 In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be | put to shame;

deliver me | in your righteousness.

2 Incline your | ear to me;

make haste to de- | liver me.

3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,

for you are my crag | and my stronghold;

for the sake of your name, lead | me and guide me.

4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly | set for me,

for you are my tow- | er of strength.

5 Into your hands I com- | mend my spirit,

for you have redeemed me, O LORD, | God of truth.

15 My times are | in your hand;

rescue me from the hand of my enemies,

and from those who | persecute me.

16 Let your face shine up- | on your servant;

save me in your | steadfast love."

Second Reading 1 Peter 2:2-10

A reading from 1 Peter:

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it

you may grow into salvation – 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is

good.

4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen

and precious in God’s sight, and 5 like living stones, let yourselves be built

into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices

acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the very head of the corner,”

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“A stone that makes them stumble,

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and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s

own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who

called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

10 Once you were not a people,

but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,

but now you have received mercy.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia.

I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

Alleluia.

Gospel John 14:1-14

The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fourteenth chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

(The reading of the Gospel.)

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in

me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not

so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go

and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,

so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the

place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know

where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I

am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except

through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now

on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be

satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip,

and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

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How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in

the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not

speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do

not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell

you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in

fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I

will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in

the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

The Sermon Pastor Judy Lamb

Hymn of the Day Come My way, My Truth, My Life

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Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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Prayers of Intercession

Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the

people of God in all times and places in praying for the church, the world,

and all who are in need. Sung response.

(Brief silence)

Build us up, mothering God, as living stones united in your spiritual house.

Continually strengthen your church as it is sent forth to proclaim your love.

We pray especially for new congregations and those in redevelopment. We

pray that all the faithful continue to be fed by your word, even as they aren't

worshiping in their church buildings. We pray for those who lead,

especially our bishops, Elizabeth and Michael; our pastors, deacons,

musicians and other liturgical leaders. Sung response

Humble us, creator God, as part of your creation. Fill us with respect and

awe for the world you have made, including volcanoes, ocean currents,

tropical rainstorms, glaciers, and other forces that both destroy and create.

We pray for our farmers. Sustain them financially as they seek to feed us.

Sung response

Align our ways to your love, O God. We pray for countries, leaders, and

other organizations as they prepare places for those seeking refuge and

safety. We pray for state and national leaders as they fight the COVID virus

as they attempt to balance health and economic issues. Help them do the

best thing to sustain life for all their people. We pray for our president,

Donald, and our governor, Tom. Sung response

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God of healing and rest, help those whose hearts are heavy and weighed

down by many troubles. Comfort their suffering, ease their distress, and

carry their burdens. We pray especially for those who have been furloughed

from their jobs. Give them hope for the future. Sung response

Nurturing God, we pray for those who tend and teach young children, for

the safe pregnancies of expectant parents, and for families who struggle

with infertility and miscarriage. We give thanks for all who have shown

mothering care, and we remember all for whom this day is difficult. Sung

response

Generous God, you call into your brilliant light all who have died,

especially Jan, Charlie, Geraldine, Alice, Robert and John. Give us faith to

take hold of the promise of your eternal life. Sung response

Are there others for whom we should pray?

With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom

we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.

Lord’s Prayer

Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever. Amen.

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Announcements

Our Prayer for These Times

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot

see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.

Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go,

but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing

Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

Amen.

Postlude Hymn Variation on Hyfrydol (Young)

+ + + + + + + + + + +

Serving Today

Presiding Ministers . . . . Pastor Dennis Blauser, Christ Lutheran, Sharon

Pastor Judy Lamb, Grace Lutheran Church, Franklin

Pastor Gary Nelson, Hermitage

Pastor Brenda Martin, Holy Trinity, Greenville

Organist . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maidene Hackett

Acknowledgments

Liturgy texts from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006 Evangelical Lutheran

Church in America. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress under license # 15404-

ELW

Pastors in residence:

The Rev. Julia Fraser, chaplain at St. Paul Homes

The Rev. Dr. Robert Harris, retired, Mercyhurst University

The Rev. Brian Riddle, Thiel College Campus Pastor

The Rev. Martin Roth, retired pastor, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

The Rev. Dr. Curtis Thompson, retired, Thiel College

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Please Pray For

Only first names are being used for privacy.

Please note that permission is needed to add anyone to the prayer list.

In Military Service

Chief Master Sergeant Thomas R McQuiston, US Air Force, Middle East

Specialist (SPC) Andrew McCall, Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Sgt. First Class Nicholas Carman, US Army, Frederiksberg, Virginia

Admiral Richard Childs, Assistant Surgeon General of the USA

CDR Ryan Leary, USN, Operation Officer, 7th Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan

Tim Ross, Navy Special Forces

Health and Healing:

Belle

Dan

Dillon

Jan

Jennifer

Jim

Joe

Judy

Kate

Ken

Patty

Paul

Rick

Ron

Christ’s comfort for those

who grieve the death of:

Barb

Charlie

Jan